Pharmacy

We pride ourselves on having a 'fit for practice' workforce through the education, training and development opportunities given to all pharmacy staff.

These are delivered in collaboration with the DeMontfort University which has a proven track record in the development and delivery of postgraduate pharmacy education for clinical pharmacists and accredited post basic training for pharmacy technicians.

Our department is also involved in the education and training of medical and nursing staff across the Trust.

The continuing professional and personal development of our staff is taken very seriously within the Pharmacy Department and therefore the involvement of staff in undertaking and delivery of a full training programme is positively encouraged. This includes professional qualifications.

We employ a number of teacher practitioner pharmacists as well as NVQ co-ordinators and many of our senior and chief technicians are also qualified NVQ assessors and verifiers. In recent years at least a quarter of our staff have been studying for a recognised qualification at any given time.

Pharmacists

Pre-registration pharmacists training

The pharmacy department at Derby Teaching Hospitals currently train 4 pre-registration pharmacists each year to enable them to qualify as registered pharmacists with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). We are delighted that we will be increasing this number to 5 from summer 2017 as we feel that pre-registration training is such an important contributor towards the future of pharmacy and patient care. As well as getting high quality pharmacists out of the training we provide, we enjoy having pre-registration trainees to challenge us and bring their skills and knowledge from their degree studies to the workplace.

Many pre-registration trainees choose to stay with the Trust as band 6 shift-working pharmacists after completing their pre-registration training.

Following the GPhC pre-registration performance standards and the registration framework, we provide regular tutorials and directed study-time, which sits alongside clinical experience in a variety of rotations.

We are also proud to provide professional placements for the University of Nottingham integrated 5 course pre-registration students, training two students every six months.

Vocational placement

We currently offer a 3 day placement run over the summer for 3rd year undergraduate pharmacy students. Requests for application forms should be made to dhft.pharmacyadmin@nhs.net. Please note that applications close by the 31st of December each year for the following summer’s placements, and may close early if a large number of applications are received.

Post-graduate pharmacy courses in clinical pharmacy

These courses have been developed in conjunction with De Montfort University Leicester which currently runs a Post Graduate Certificate, Diploma and MSc in Clinical Pharmacy.

Pharmacy technicians

Pre-registration Pharmacy technicians undergo a 2 year QCF (NVQ) level 3 programme and also complete via blended learning a Diploma in Pharmacy Services. These two qualifications on completion, allow entry onto the General Pharmaceutical Council’s register.

Pharmacy technicians are part of the pharmacy team and work under the supervision of a pharmacist. The role of a pharmacy technician is very challenging and rewarding. It provides the opportunity to work as part of a team to support the care of patients.

Technicians are responsible for the dispensing process, checking prescriptions and counselling patients on their treatment. Other roles include purchasing, medicines management, specialist manufacturing and education and training. Clinical technicians work more closely with patients on the wards alongside oher healthcare professionals.

Assistant technical officer & senior assistant technical officer

Senior assistant technical officers and assistant technical officers work alongside pharmacy technicians and under the supervision of a registered pharmacist.

Here at Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, as a pharmacy assistant there are opportunities to work towards a QCF (NVQ) level 2 Qualification in Pharmacy Services. With experience and achievement in relevant qualifications, it is possible to progress to senior pharmacy assistant roles and gain access to the pre-registration pharmacy technician training program.